schommer



March 10, 1964 J. P. SCHOMMER 3,124,237

GUTTER CLEANER FOR BARNS Filed Sept. 3, 1 959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 j 121/6412; Jillz/f r'jcommen March 10, 1964 J. P. SCHOMMER 3,124,237

GUTTER CLEANER FOR BARNS Filed Sept. 3, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Judi? "50 Jble/gferfcamm fl March 10, 1964 J. P. SCHOMMER GUTTER CLEANER FOR BARNS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed sept. 5, 1959 March 10, 1964 J. P. SCHOMMER GUTTER CLEANER FOR BARNS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 3, 1959 United States Patent Oflflce 3,124,237 GUT'IER CLEANERS FGR BARNS Jule Peter dch'ommer, West Depere, Win, assigns: to H. D. Hudson Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill, a corporation of Minnesota Filed ept. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 837,888 Claims. (ill. 198-471) The present invention relates to a gutter cleaner for barns and the like and more particularly to a novel power-operated cleaning mechanism for effectively removing manure and other refuse matter collected in a gutter in a dairy barn or other enclosure for livestock, and conveying it to the exterior.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a novel gutter cleaning assembly including an elevator and a power-actuated chain carrying spaced flights for removing the matter collected in a gutter and delivening this matter onto the elevator from which the collected matter is conveyed and discharged at the exterior of the enclosure.

Other important objects include the provision of a novel operating \ch-ain carrying the flights and having novel means for connecting and adjusting the length of the chain, means for readily attaching or detaching links or lengths of chain and for conveniently installing or removing elongated or worn chain in relatively short lengths or sections; and the provision of novel means for readily connecting or disconnecting an end of each flight to the chain.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a novel gutter cleaner including a novel chain assembly carrying spaced flights extending across the width of the gutter and of the loading side of an elevator for conveying the collected matter in the gutter to the exterior thereof where it is discharged into a spreader or other collecting means.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel elevator preferably located at the exterior of a barn or enclosure for dairy cattle or other livestock, :the enclosure being provided with a continuous gutter formed in the floor and so located as to collect manure and other matter, which is then conveyed from the gutter to the elevator for discharge at the exterior of the enclosure.

The present invention further comprehends a novel elevator assembly in which the Width of the loaded side of the elevator over which the loaded flights travel may be readily adjusted in conformity with the width of the gutter and the length of the flights so as to most effectively and completely clean the gutter of collected matter. It further comprehends a novel sectional bed assembly having means for most conveniently extending or adjusting the length of the elevator.

Another object is the provision of an elevator having means for correcting or adjusting the tension on the chain whereby to assure smooth and positive travel of the chain and its flights and to take up normal chain slack after the chain passes about its drive sprocket at the upper discharge end of the elevator. It further includes means for effectively cleaning each unloaded flight and means for maintaining the chain lubricated.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efiiciency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the novel gutter cleaner for automatically removing and cleaning the gutter of manure or refuse collected therein in a barn 3,124,237 Patented Mar. 10, 1964 or other enclosure, the upper end of the elevator which carries the collected material to the exterior of the barn having been omitted.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the elevator and power operating unit normally disposed at the exterior of the barn for removing the collected material from the gutter within the barn for discharge.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper end of the elevator and its power unit with the pivoted protective hood for enclosing the power unit having been elevated to disclose the power drive mechanism.

FIG. 4 is another fragmentary perspective View of the discharge end of the elevator but with the pivoted hood closed for operation and showing the manner in which the flights are returned and cleaned after unloading.

FIG. 5 is another fragmentary perspective view of the elevator assembly and showing the novel tension means for tightening or taking up the slack in the operating chain.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged View of the lower end of the elevator where it connects with the gutter in the barn.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the hold-shoe for holding down the chain where it leaves the unloaded side of the elevator.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the hold-down shoe for the chain at the point where it enters the loaded side of the elevator.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged View in perspective showing the manner of connecting one end of a flight to the chain.

FIG. 10 is a disassembled view in perspective of the parts or" the flight connector of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged top plan view of the connecting link assembly for connecting adjoining links of the chain and for the addition of a take-up chain.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the disassembled parts of the connecting link assembly.

FIG. 13 is :a perspective view of the inclined elevator assembly showing the manner :of joining two sections of the bed of the elevator and the longitudinal divider to obtain the desired length, the anchor at the lower end of the elevator and the drip chute at the upper end thereof being shown disconnected from the opposite ends of the elevator bed.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of disassembled sections of the elevator bed of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a disassembled view in perspective of adjoining sections of a center beam forming an adjustable divider for adjusting the width of the channel at the unloaded side of the elevator to accommodate different gutter widths and lengths of flights, a side wall of one of the sections being broken away to show the interior.

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary enlarged view in vertical cross section taken on the line 16-16 of FIG. 13 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary view in vertical cross section taken on the line l717 of FIG. 13 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of an end of one of the dividers or beam sections with the cover removed.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings and to the novel illustrative embodiment of a mechanical barn gutter cleaner therein shown, the gutter cleaner comprises an elevator 10 (FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5) for discharge of the collected material having an inclined supporting bed or floor 11 over which is moved a continuous length of chain 12 to which is attached at 13 one end of each of a plurality of suitably spaced flights 1.4 each preferably formed of an angle member of a relatively heavy and high-carbon iron.

As shown in FIG. 1, the chain 12 moves the attached flights 14 through a gutter 15 formed in the floor of a barn or other enclosure, the gutter being so arranged as to collect therein manure or refuse matter and which matter is carried therefrom by the movement of the flights 14 upon operation of the cleaner and movement of the continuous chain 12. This refuse is carried from the gutter upwardly at one side 16 of the inclined bed or floor 11 of the elevator, is discharged from the top of the elevator over the drip chute 1'7 and then the unloaded flights 14 carried by the chain 12 return down the other side 18 of the inclined elevator bed to reenter the gutter 15 in continuous travel so long as the gutter cleaner is being operated.

The chain 12 comprises heavy connecting links 19 and 21 with the successive links arranged horizontally and vertically and with the chain provided with a novel and simplified link connecting means for connecting adjoining links and for the addition of a take-up chain, when required. This connecting means is shown in detail in FIGS. 11 and 12 and comprises a connecting link 22 open at its opposite ends with each end provided with two laterally projecting lugs 23 and 24, the two upper lugs 23 conformably received within spaced openings 25 in an upper steel plate 26 and the two lower or depending lugs 24 conformably received within spaced openings 27 in a lower steel plate 28. These plates which are similar and provided with similarly spaced openings, are then securely connected together by means of a bolt 29, a lock washer 31 and a nut 32.

This chain connecting assembly provides a novel and simple means permitting the convenient installation or removal of elongated or worn chain in relatively short sections and preventing the elongation of the connecting link 22 as all strains and stresses are against the heat-treated upper and lower steel plates 26 and 28. The opposite sides 33 and 33 of these plates when assembled as shown provide a guide for smooth operation of the chain as it moves about corners, curves and gutter walls whereby the chain remains in its correct, operative position.

Each angle iron flight 14 for scraping the gutter clean is securely aflixed at one end to the chain 12 by a simple flight connector 34 to guide the chain 12 and its spaced flights 14 in their proper path of travel and position along the spaced walls of the gutter 15. These flights 14 (FIGS. 9 and are of a uniform length and substantially that of the width of the gutter and the loaded side 16 of the elevator and provided with an opening 35 in the top flange 36 and a similar opening 35 in the depending flange 37, whereby these flights may be readily reversed when installed for a clockwise or counter-clockwise path of travel in the gutter and over the elevator 10.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, each flight connector 34 comprises a plate-like member 38 having spaced depending legs 39 and 41, the leg 41 being of substantially greater length than the leg 39 and provided with an opening 42 to be aligned with the opening 35 in the depending flange 37 of a flight. The legs 39 and 41 straddle the top flange 36 and fit conformably within a horizontal link 19 of the chain 12 with the longer leg 41 projecting over the depending flange 37 of a flight in the manner shown in FIG. 9. A bolt 43 is projected through an opening 44 in the member 38 and the aligned opening 35 in the top flange 36 of a flight 14 and is retained by a nut 45, while another bolt 43 passes through the opening 42 in the depending leg 41 and the aligned opening 35 in the depending flange 37 and is also retained by a nut 45.

The elevator 10 may be of any desired length including plural sections (FIGS. 2 to 6, inclusive, 13 and 14) forming the bed 11 and is inclined upwardly from the gutter with the flights leaving the gutter at 46 (FIGS. 2 and 6) and carried therefrom by the chain sass? 12 upwardly along the loaded side 16 of the bed to the elevated discharge end where the collected material conveyed by the flights 14 is discharged over the drip chute 17. These flights upon discharging their collected matter each engage a depending wiper rod 47 (FIGS. 3 and 4) mounted on the outer free end of a springloaded arm 48 having a wiper 49 for effectively cleaning each successive flight 14 as it is carried by the chain 12 as the latter passes about and is actuated by a drive sprocket 51.

At the upper discharge end of the bed of the elevator assembly 10 is the downwardly and outwardly inclined drip chute 17 (FIGS. 3 and 4) for discharging any collected liquid into a spreader or other collecting means at the exterior of the barn.

The emptied and cleaned flights 14 are then returned down the downwardly inclined unloaded side 18 of the elevator bed 11 where the free end of each flight abuts an elongated and angularly disposed tension bar 52 (FIG. 5) pivotally mounted at one end upon a vertical pintle at 53 mounted on a support 54 at one side of the elevator bed 11. Adjacent the other or free end of this bar is mounted an upstanding arm 55 to the upper end of which is attached one end of a tension or contractile spring 56, the other end of the spring being anchored to an arm 57 attached to the cover 58 of a divider 59 longitudinally dividing the elevator floor 11 into the loading and unloading sides 16 and 18, respectively, the former providing a channel between the divider 59 and an upstanding sideboard 61 defining one edge of the elevator bed 11.

The elevator bed 11 may be formed of one or more sections as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 where two sections 11 and 11 are joined together at their abutting ends by a connector 62. At the upper end is aflixed the drip chute 17 and at the lower end is affixed a connector 63 having its depending flange embedded in the concrete of the floor where the gutter 15 merges with the elevator bed 11.

The divider 59 extending for the length of the bed 11 (FIGS. 13 to 18) comprises one or more upwardly opening channel sections 64 having spaced transverse angle members 65 bridging and reinforcing the opposite sides of the channel sections at the top thereof and each member 65 having an opening 66 aligned with an opening 67 in the cover 58. A bolt 69 is inserted through openings 67 and 66 and a nut 72 engages the bolt 69 to anchor the cover 58 onto the divider 59. The base of each section is provided with spaced elongated transverse slots 68 with each slot aligned with an opening 71 in the bed sections 11 or 11 to receive a second bolt 69 and nut 72 to anchor the divider 59 in adjusted position.

By reason of the elongated slots 68, the beam center assembly forms an adjustable divider which may be bodily moved to vary the effective width of the channel between the divider 59 and the sideboard 61 at the loaded side 18 of the elevator. To accommodate various channel widths, sets of flights 14 of diflerent lengths are provided with each set being of such length as to substantially bridge the width of the predetermined loading channel of the elevator 10 and the gutter 15 in the barn floor.

Each divider section 64 has at each end an end wall or closure 73 with the abutting end walls having aligned openings for receiving bolts or other attaching means 74 to connect adjoining sections and with the lower end of the divider provided with an outwardly projecting anchoring flange 75 (FIGS. 2, 6 and 13) embedded in or atfixed to an aligned dividing wall 76 formed in the concrete of the floor 77 of the barn or enclosure.

The concrete floor 77 is provided with a continuous gutter 15 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, in which the chain 12 and its flights 14 are carried in the direction of the arrows. However, it is to be understood that by reversing the position of the elevator 10 to locate the sideboard 61 at the side opposite that shown in the drawings,

the path of travel of the chain 12 and its flights 14 in which either flange 36 or 37 may depend, may be reversed. One or more supporting stands 78 at the elevated end of the elevator 10 supports the outer end of the bed 11 of the elevator in its upwardly inclined position.

To continuously operate the chain 12 and cause the chain to carry the spaced flights over the bed 11 of the elevator and through the continuous gutter 15, there is provided a power drive or transmission unit mounted upon a frame 79 supported in elevated position upon the divider 59 (FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and This power transmission comprises a motor 81 ('FIG. 3) having a pulley 82 operating a pulley wheel 83 by means of one or more drive belts 84. The pulley wheel is suitably affixed or keyed to the upper end of a split shaft 85 and connected to the lower end of the shaft by a slip clutch 86 the lower end of this shaft being journalled in the frame 79 and upon this lower end of this shaft is afiixed a small sprocket wheel (not shown) driving by means of a roller chain 87 a larger sprocket wheel 88 on a stub shaft 89 journalled in the frame. Affixed to this stub shaft 89 is a small sprocket wheel 9% rotating a large sprocket wheel 91 and its shaft 92 by a heavy roller chain 93. The shaft 92 has mounted on its lower end the drive sprocket 51 for operating the chain 12.

A hood 94 is pivotally mounted at its lower end at 95 on the frame and protects the power transmission unit when lowered to its closed position. The entire drive assembly is adjustable longitudinally by means of an adjusting screw 96.

The chain 12 carrying the flights 14 as it leaves the unloaded side 18 at the base of the elevator bed 11 passes under a hold down shoe 97 (FIGS. 1 and 8) and an adjacent reverse curve 98 and continues in the gutter 15, then about a corner idler 99 (FIG. 1) in the form of a freely rotating wheel and similar idlers 99 disposed at each corner of the gutter, then under a hold down shoe 101 (FIG. 7) at the base of the loaded side of the elevator bed 11.

The hold down shoes 97 and 101 shown in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8 and the reverse curve 98 at the base of the elevator, are bolted into the concrete and assure smooth passage of the chain 12 and its flights 14 as they move into and out of the gutter 15. The corner idlers 99 guide the chain 12 smoothly about the inside curves of the gutter as the flights 14 carried by this chain transport the matter collected in the gutter to the loaded side 16 of the elevator for discharge.

To maintain the chain 12 in most effective condition for trouble-free operation, an oiler (FIG. 2) in the form of an oil tank or receptacle 102 is mounted by means of a bracket support 103 adjacent the lower end of the cover 58 of the divider 59. Depending from this tank is a drip tube 104 having a valve 105 for controlling dripping of oil onto the chain 12 as it moves therebelow. This flow is required but intermittently to adequately lubricate the chain and associated parts.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. In a cleaner for cleaning a gutter of a dairy barn or other enclosure for livestock in which the gutter collects manure or other refuse, an elevator, a continuous chain movable over said elevator and through said gutter, spaced flights each having an end affixed to a closed link of the chain and free at its other end whereby movement of the chain along one side of the gutter carries therewith the spaced flights extending across the gutter with said flights scraping the gutter and carrying therewith the refuse collected in said gutter, and a flight connection for joining one end of each flight to the said closed link of the chain with the other end free, each flight comprising an elongated angle member of a length to span the width of the gutter and having a substantially horizontally disposed flange and a depending flange for scraping the gutter of collected refuse, said flight connector comprising a plate-like member overlapping the chain link for securing said link to said horizontally dis 6 posed flange and having spaced depending legs projecting through said link of the chain with one leg secured to the depending flange of the flight.

2. In a cleaner for cleaning the gutter of a dairy barn or other enclosure for livestock as set forth in claim 1, in which the spaced legs of the flight connector are adapted to straddle the horizontally disposed flange of the flight with the plate secured to said flange, one of said legs abutting and secured to the dependent flange and both of said legs depending through said link of the chain to anchor one end of said flight thereto.

3. In a gutter cleaner for a dairy barn or other enclosure for livestock, a gutter provided in the floor of the barn and so located as to collect refuse matter therein, means for removing the matter collected in the gutter including a chain and spaced flights each mounted at one end upon and carried by the chain in a plane substantially normal to the path of travel of the chain through the gutter, an upwardly and outwardly inclined elevator for discharging the collected matter at the exterior of the barn, said elevator having a bed and a laterally adjustable divider for longitudinally dividing the bed into a loading channel at one side thereof over which the chain and its loaded flights move to carry the collected matter to the elevated end of the bed where such flights discharge the collected matter, the other side of said bed providing for the return of the chain and its connected flights to the gutter for scraping and conveying additional collected matter to the loading channel of the elevator bed, means on the return side of said bed for applying tension to said chain including an arm extending along a portion of the return side of said bed and pivoted at one end on a bracket secured to said bed, and spring biasing means connected to the free end of said arm and to said divider to urge the free end of said arm toward the divider to engage and yieldably restrain the free ends of the flights to take up any chain slack, and a power transmission unit for moving said chain and its connected flights through the gutter and over the elevator bed.

4. In a gutter cleaner for barns and the like, an elevator having an inclined bed for discharging collected matter from a gutter to the exterior of a barn, a drip chute at the upper end of the elevator, a laterally adjustable divider for longitudinally dividing the inclined bed into a loading channel and an unloaded side, the divider adjusting the width of the loading channel to conform to the width of the gutter, a chain movable over the bed and through the gutter in the barn and having spaced flights for carrying the matter collected in the gutter through the loading channel from which such matter is discharged at the drip chute and returning the flights down the unloaded side of the bed and into the gutter for conveying the collected matter from the gutter in a continuous manner, means on the unloaded side of the bed for applying tension to said chain including an arm extending along a portion of the unloaded side of the bed and pivotally mounted at one end on a bracket secured adjacent the upper end and outer edge of the bed, and spring-biasing means connected to the free end of the arm and to said divider to urge the free end of the arm towards said divider such that the free ends of said flights on the chain engage and are releasably restrained by said arm to take up any chain slack, means secured to said divider to apply lubricant to said chain, and power operated means for moving said chain and its flights.

5. In a gutter cleaner for barns or the like as set forth in claim 4, in which each of said spaced flights includes an elongated angle member of a length to span the width of the gutter and having a substantially horizontally disposed flange providing the top and a depending flange for scraping the gutter of collected refuse, and a connector securing each flight to the chain comprising a plate secured to the top flange of the flight and bridging a link of said chain, said plate having spaced depending legs adapted to straddle the top flange with one of said legs being of greater length than the other and abutting and secured to the depending flange of a flight and both of said legs depending through said link of the chain to 5 anchor one end of the flight to the chain.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 540,617 MaXon June 4, 1895 10 8 Russell Ian. 1, 1929 Duffy Ian. 19, 1943 Howison Oct. 25, 1948 Noe Apr. 29, 1952 Hampton Apr. 21, 1953 Vodoz July 21, 1953 Klinzing Oct. 30, 1956 Yuenger Feb. 26, 1957 Pierre Dec. 23, 1958 Craig Sept. 6, 1960 

1. IN A CLEANER FOR CLEANING A GUTTER OF A DAIRY BARN OR OTHER ENCLOSURE FOR LIVESTOCK IN WHICH THE GUTTER COLLECTS MANURE OR OTHER REFUSE, AN ELEVATOR, A CONTINUOUS CHAIN MOVABLE OVER SAID ELEVATOR AND THROUGH SAID GUTTER, SPACED FLIGHTS EACH HAVING AN END AFFIXED TO A CLOSED LINK OF THE CHAIN AND FREE AT ITS OTHER END WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF THE CHAIN ALONG ONE SIDE OF THE GUTTER CARRIES THEREWITH THE SPACED FLIGHTS EXTENDING ACROSS THE GUTTER WITH SAID FLIGHTS SCRAPING THE GUTTER AND CARRYING THEREWITH THE REFUSE COLLECTED IN SAID GUTTER, AND A FLIGHT CONNECTION FOR JOINING ONE END OF EACH FLIGHT TO THE SAID CLOSED LINK OF THE CHAIN WITH THE OTHER END FREE, EACH FLIGHT COMPRISING AN ELONGATED ANGLE MEMBER OF A LENGTH TO SPAN THE WIDTH OF THE GUTTER AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED FLANGE AND A DEPENDING FLANGE FOR SCRAPING THE GUTTER OF COLLECTED REFUSE, SAID FLIGHT CONNECTOR COMPRISING A PLATE-LIKE MEMBER OVERLAPPING THE CHAIN LINK FOR SECURING SAID LINK TO SAID HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED FLANGE AND HAVING SPACED DEPENDING LEGS PROJECTING THROUGH SAID LINK OF THE CHAIN WITH ONE LEG SECURED TO THE DEPENDING FLANGE OF THE FLIGHT. 